Surface coating apparatus



17, 1950 H. w. MACKEY 2,525,920 suancs comma AiPARATUS Filed Jan. 27, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. HENRY hl. fine/my BY I 2,4: W34; ATTORNE 5 Oct. 17, 1950 H. w. MACKEY sunmcs cgA-rmc. APPARATUS 6 She'ets-Sheet' 2 mm m; 27.

' WMZZ? ATTOR/VL 5 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 A TTOK/VEKT I N X mmvrm A/E/VRY "(MAM tr Oct. 17, 1950 H. w. MACKEY sunncs comm; mm'rus Filed Jan. 27. 1947 INVENTOR. A/ENRY M MACAEY 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 1950 H. w. MACKEY sumcs comm mm'rus mm Jan 27 1947 E m H MM u mm m M m 7 9 I. A 2 a m w m y m 3. m m K CG AN Mm 1| W mm W Oct 17, 1950 Filed Jan 27 1947 [H hi F H. w. MACKEY 2,525,920

summon cpA'rmc APPARATUS 6 Sbets-Sheet 6 Ogt. 17, 1950 Fil ed Jan. 27, 1947 P m-Hm Patented Oct. 17, 1950 SURFACE COATING APPARATUS Henry W. Mackey, Detroit, Micln, minor to Motor Products Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a

corporation of New York Application January 27, 1947, Serial No. 724,602

Although the apparatus forming the subject matter of this invention may be successfully used 17 Claims. (01-91-50) in many instances where it is desirable to paint or otherwise coat panels, nevertheless, it finds particular utility when employed in connection I with equipment of the type used in applying wood or other graining eflects to panels.

When applying wood or other grainin effects to panels by the printing process it is usually necesssary to apply one or more base or undercoatings to the panel. In production, the base coating is ordinarily applied by a coating roll having a length at least as great as the width of the panel to be decorated so that the pigment or other coating is applied to the entire surface of the panel. This procedure is satisfactory in cases where it is desired to decorate a panel throughout the area of one surface but is not practical in instances where only preselected portions of the panel require decoration as it necessitates masking the panel. Such practice is very costly not only because it requires considerable time and thereby retards production but also because of the waste involved.

With the above in view, it is one of the objects of this invention to provide surface coating apparatus constructed to enable decoratin only the required portions of the panel surface without the necessity of masking or removing the coating material from the panel. Thus, the additional time consuming step of removing or masking the coating substance from the portions of the panel surface it is desired to leave plain is avoided.

Another object of this invention is to provide coating apparatus with means for removing the pigment or coating material from preselected areas of the coating roll prior to engagement of the peripheral face of the roll with the work or panel.

Still another feature of this invention is to engage the peripheral face of the coating roll with a blade or scraper supported between the pigment applying means andwork for sliding movement in opposite directions substantially a sharp line of demarcation between the area decorated and the adjacent blank area. Still another object of this invention is to interrupt advancement of the work into operative relation to the coating roll by latch means releasable in timed relation to theoperation of the cam for reciprocating the scraper.

The foregoing as well as other objects will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a part of the surface coating apparatus embodying the features of this invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the part of the apparatus adjoining the part shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 'I--l of Figure 2;

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 5;

Figure 9 is a semi-diagrammatic plan view of a part of the surface coating apparatus;

Figure 10 is a perspective view oi the scraper embodied in the apparatus; and

Figure 11 is a sectional view taken on the line mm of Figure 4.

The present invention is shown for the purpose of illustration in connection with a surface coat ing machine comprising a spreader roll IS, a coating roll l6 and a, conveyor I I for supporting a panel I8 to be decorated. The spreader and coating rolls have a length somewhat greater than the width of the panel [8 and are suitably supported for rotation with the peripheral surfaces thereof frictionally engaging each other. A fountain roll I! is mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of rotationof the spreader roll l5, and is supported with the peripheral surface thereof contacting the corresponding surface of the spreader roll throughout the length of the latter. As shown particularly in Figure 3 of the drawings, a tray or container 20 containing the desired pigment is suitably supported beneath the fountain roll IS in a position to receive the lower portion of this roll. Thus, as t e iountain roll is revolved, pigment in the tray 26 collects on the periphery of this roll and is transferred by the latter to the peripheral face of the spreader roll I5.

The coating roll I6 has peripheral surfaces 2| of resilient material, such for example, as gum or some type of gelatin composition. The roll I6 has a length somewhat greater than the width of the panel I8 to -be decorated, and is supported on a shaft 22 having its axis extending parallel to the axis of rotation of the roll I5. Referring again to Figure 3 of the drawings, it will be noted that the roll I6 is positioned with the peripheral surface'thereof frictionally engaging the top surface of the panel I8 and the peripheral face of the roll I5. Thus the pigment collected by the spreader roll I is applied to the peripheral face of the roll I6, and is transferred by the roll l6 onto the top surface of the panel l8.

The conveyor I1 comprises laterally spaced endless belts 23 respectively reeved around pulleys 24 secured in axial spaced relationship to a drive shaft 25. The drive shaft 25 is rotated in a clockwise direction to move the top surfaces of the conveyor belts 23 in a direction toward the coating roll I6, and the panel I8 is guided throughout its movement with the conveyor by guides 26 secured to a transverse frame member 21. The guides 26 are in the form of plates having upstanding flanges 28 respectively positioned at opposite sides of the conveyor for engagement with the opposite longitudinal edges of the panel 8. In order to compensate for panels of different Width. the transverse frame member 21 is formed with an elongated slot 29, and the fastener elements 30 for the guide plates are extended downwardly through the slot 29 for engagement with the clamping nuts 3|. Thus the guide plates 26 may be moved to different relative positions on the frame member 21 by merely loosening the nuts 3|.

The delivery end of the conveyor I1 terminates short of the coating ro l, and the portion of the panel extending beyond the delivery end of the conveyor is gripped between the periphery of the coating roll I6 and the periphery of a feed roll 32. The feed roll 32 is secured to a shaft 33 having its axis parallel to the axis of the shaft 22 and located beneath the panel I8 directly below the shaft 22. The feed roll 32 and the coating roll I6 are rotated in the general direction of advancement of the panel I8 by the conveyor I1 and cooperate with one another to assist the conveyor H in moving the panel I8 throughout its path of travel. Thus the decoration applied to the coating roll by the spreader roll is printed on the panel I8 as it is advanced along its path of travel.

The coating roll I 6, feed roll 32 and conveyor H are operated in timed relationship by the gearing shown in Figure 6 of the drawings. In general a relatively large gear 34 is secured to the coating roll shaft 22 beyond one end of the roll, and is ada ted to mesh with a gear 35 secured to the feed roll shaft 33. The gear 35 is operatively connected to a ear 36 secured to the conveyor drive shaft 25 through the medium of three intermeshing idler gears 31. The characteristics of the above described gearing are such that the coating roll I6 and the feed roll 32 are rotated at substantia ly the same peripheral speed in the direction of advancement of the panel I8 by the conveyor I1. As pointed out, the peripheral face of the pattern roll I5 frictionallv engages the corresponding surface of the coating roll l6 and is accordingly rotated by the latter. Th?

peripheral surface of the spreader roll also frictionally engages the fountain roll I8, and accordingly, imparts rotation to the latter.

The apparatus thus far described operates to apply the coating to the panel |8 throughout the full area of the top surface thereof. However, as briefly pointed out in the preamble of this description, it is frequently essential or desirable to leave a preselected portion of the panel surface blank, so that this portion may be subsequently formed without disturbing the coating. For the purpose-of this invention, it will be as sumed that it is desired to omit the coating from the top surface of the panel I8 adjacent the side edge indicated in Figure 9 of the drawings by the numeral 38 and to impart an irregular contour to the adjacent marginal edge of the coating indicated graphically by the numeral 46. A panel decorated in this manner may be subsequently formed in a suitable press to provide a typical instrument panel for motor vehicles.

In order to accomplish the above result, a scraper blade assembly 38 is suitably supported in a position to engage the peripheral face of the coating roll I6 prior to engagement of this face with the panel I8. Upon reference to Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings, it will be noted that the scraper assembly 39 comprises a supporting frame 4| having a U-shaped portion 42 at the outer end and having laterally spaced side members 43 extending inwardly from opposite ends of the U-shaped portion 42. A holder 44 is positioned between the inner ends of the members 43 and is pivotally connected to the latter members by means of a pin 45. The .pin 45 extends parallel to the axis of rotation of the coating roll I6 to enable swinging movement of the holder 44 in a vertical plane. An attaching portion 46 extends inwardly from the holder 44 and is recessed to receive a blade 41. The blade 41 is removably clamped to the attaching portion 46 by a plate 48 secured to the portion 46 by screws 49. The portion 46 is inclined downwardly from the holder 44 and supports the blade 41 with the working edge 50 in contact with the peripheral face of the coating roll I6 at the end of the latter adjacent the side 38 of the panel I8.

The assembly 39 is supported to effect engagement of the edge 50 on the blade 41 with the coating roll substantially below a horizontal plane including the axis of rotation of the coating roll, and the working edge 50 of the blade is yieldably held in contact with the adjacent portion of the peripheral face on the coating roll. In detail the U-shaped portion 42 at the outer end of. the frame 4| receives and is secured to a rail 5| extending transversely of the path of travel of the panel I 8. Referring again to Figure 3 of the drawingv it will be noted that the outer flange of the U-shaped portion 42 extends above the rail 5| and is formed with a slot 52 open at the top and adapted to receive a rod 53. The inner end of the rod 53 is connected to the holder 44 through the medium of a bell crank lever 54 pivotally supported intermediate the arms thereof on the frame 4| between the members 43 by a pin 55. One arm 56 of the bell crank lever is connected to the inner end of the rod 53 and the other arm 51 is pivotally connected to the outer end of an extension 58 projecting outwardly from the holder 44 between the members 43 of the frame 4|. It will be noted from Figure 1 of the drawings that the outer end of the extension 58 is bifurcated to receive the arm 51 of the bell cr nk lever 54 therebetween, and a pin 59 exdirection to release the latch 99 by a cam 92 secured to the lower end'of the vertical cam shaft 10 and having a notch 93 in the peripheral surface thereof. The periphery of the cam 92 is frictionally engaged by one end of a lever 94 pivoted intermediate its ends on the machine frame by a pin 95 and having the opposite end abutting the inner edge of the arm 99 on the bell crank latching lever 89. The lever 94 is yieldably maintained in contact with the periphery of the cam 92 by a spring 98 having one end connected to the-end of the lever 94 adjacent the cam 92 and having the other end secured to the machine frame.

The cam 92 is positioned on the shaft H! with the notch 93 so arranged with respect to the contoured surface of the cam 69 that the latch 85 is released to initiate graining of the panel at the proper interval. In this connection, it will, of course, be noted that as the cam 92 rotates to a position wherein the notch 99 registers with the adjacent end of the lever 94, the latter is operated by the spring 98 to swing the bell crank lever 85 in a direction to release the part 89 from the panel I 8. Thus the panel I8 is free for movement by the conveyor to a position wherein it is gripped between the coating roll l6 and feed roll 32.

Inasmuch as the scraper blade assembly is supported by the rail 5|, and extends for a substantial distance laterally from the rail 5|, it follows that a force component is exerted on the rail tending to rotate the rail. To overcome this reaction on the rail 5|, a track 91 is supported on the part 84 of the machine frame laterally beyond theside oi. the rail 5| opposite the side from which the scraper assembly projects. The track 91 is provided with a horizontal bottom surface 99, which extends parallel to the rail SI and is engaged by a roller 99. The roller 99 is rotatably supported on the outer end of an arm I having the inner end secured to the adjacent side of the rail Si. by a stud I III. Thus the action of the rail is stabilized, and binding of the rail in its guides is prevented.

When scraping the peri heral surface of the coating roll to form the coating 40 with the contoured edge illustrated in Figure 9 of the drawings, it is desired to avoid the accumulation of pigment at the contoured edge of the coating. This is accomplished in the present instance by providing means on the blade 41 for assuring rapid drainage of the pigment scraped from the peripheral surface of the coating roll by the blade. With specific refer nce to Figure 10 of the drawings, it will be noted that the inner edge of the blade is bent upw rd y to form a'flared flange I09 and openin s I are formed in the flange and blade immediatel adjacent the working edge 50 of the blade. During operation it has been discovered that the pigment scraped from the coating roll bv the working edge 50 of the blade is rapidly carried away through the openings IM- to the collecting pan I suitably supported immediately below the blade 41 by a bracket I08. he r p d drain of the ig ent from th b ade 41 is further assisted by what appears to be a vacuum formed immediatelv below the working edge of the blade during operation thereof. In any case the resu ting panel is provided with a coating having a contoured edge wherein the line of demarcation between the coating and blank portion of the panel is no heavier than the remainder of the coating.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Apparatus for coating a surface of a work piece as the latter is advanced along a predetermined path of travel, comprising a rotatable roll, means for applying a surface coating substance to the peripheral surface of the roll, a scraper having a working edge of less length than the roll and positioned with the working edge in frictional contact with the roll at one end thereof, and means for moving the scraper back and forth along the roll in the direction of the axis of the roll to provide the coating on said roll with a contoured edge adjacent the end aforesaid of the roll.

2. Apparatus for coating a surface of a work piece as the latter is advanced along a predetermined path of travel, comprising a rotatable roll, means for applying a surface coating substance to the peripheral surface of the roll, a scraper having an edge extending in the direction of the roll axis and having an effective length less than the length of the roll, means supporting the scraper for sliding movement in the direction of the roll axis with said edge in frictional engagement with peripheral surface of the roll, and means for moving the scraper back and forth along the roll in the direction of the axis of rotation ofv the roll to remove preselected portions of the coating substance from the peripheral surface of said roll.

3. Apparatus for coating a surface of a work piece as the latter is advanced along a predetermined path of travel, comprising a rotatable roll, means for applying a surface coating substance to the peripheral surface of the roll, a scraper having an edge extending in the direction-of the roll axis and having an eflective length less than the length of the roll, means supporting the scraper for sliding movement in opposite directions substantially parallel to the roll axis with said edge in frictional contact with the peripheral surface of the roll, and a rotatable cam for moving the scraper back and forth along said roll.

4. Apparatus for coating a surface of a work piece as the latter is advanced along a predetermined path of travel, comprising a rotatable roll, means for applying a surface coating substance to the peripheral surface of the roll, means for contouring the edge of the substance at one end of the roll including a scraper having a working edge shorter than the length of the roll and extending in the direction of length of the roll, said scraper being positioned with the working edge in frictional engagement with the peripheral surface of the roll adjacent the end aforesaid thereof, means supporting the scraper for sliding movement back and forth along the roll in the direction of the axis of said roll, and cam means for reciprocating the scraper.

5. Surface coating apparatus comprising means for advancing the work to be coated along a perdetermined path of travel, a roll positioned for engagement with the work and rotatable in the direction of advancement of the work, means for applying a surface coating material to the peripheral surface of the roll,

means for contouring the edge of the substance at one end of the roll including a scraper having an edge shorter than the length of the roll and positioned to frictionally engage the peripheral surface of the roll adjacent the end aforesaid thereof prior to engagement of said surface with the work, means supporting the scraper for sliding movement back and forth in the direction of length less thanthe length of the roll, means supporting the scraper for sliding movement in opposite directions substantially parallel to the roll axis with said edge in frictional contact with the peripheral surface of the roll, and means operating in timed relation to rotation of the roll for reciprocating the scraper to remove preselected portions ofthe coatingsubstance from the peripheral surface of the roll.

7. Apparatus for coating a surface of a work piece as the latter is advanced along a predetermined path of travel, comprising a rotatable roll, means for applying a surface coating substance to the peripheral surface of the roll, means for contouring the edge of the substance at one end of the roll including a scraper having anedge shorter than the length of the roll and frictionally engageable with the peripheral surface of the roll adjacent the end aforesaid thereof. means supporting the scraper for sliding movement in opposite directions substantially parallel to the roll axis, a rotatable cam operatively connected to the ,scraper for reciprocating directions lengthwise of the roll, a rotatable cam the latter, and means for rotating the cam in timed relation to rotation of said roll.

8. Surface coating apparatus comprising means for advancing the work to be decorated along a predetermined path of travel, a roll positioned for engagement with the work and rotatable in the direction of advancement of the work, means for applying a surface coating material to the peripheral surface of the roll, means for contouring the edge of the substance at one end of the roll including a scraper having an edge shorter than the length of the roll and positioned to frictionally engage the peripheral surface of the roll prior to engagement of said surface with the work, means supporting the scraper for sliding movement in opposite directions substantially parallel to the roll axis, a rotatable cam operatively connected to the scraper for reciprocating the latter, means for rotating the cam, and'means operating in timed relation to the rotation of the cam for controlling advancement of the work by said first named means.

9. Surface coating apparatus comprising a roll having the peripheral surface coated with a coating substance, means for rotating the roll, means for introducing a work piece to the roll with the surface to be coated in contact with the coated peripheral face of the roll, means for interrupting advancement of the work into engagement with the roll, means for contouring the coating substance on the periphery of the roll adjacent one end of the latter including a scraper having an edge shorter than the length of the roll and frictionally engageable with the roll, means supporting the scraper for movement in opposite directions substantially parallel to the roll axis, means for reciprocating the scraper relative to the roll, and means operating in-timed relation to the reciprocation of the scraper to actuate said interrupting means.

10. Surface coating apparatus comprising a roll, means for rotating the roll, means for applying a surface coating substance on the peripheral face of the roll, means for introducing a work piece to the roll with the surface to be coated in contact with the coated peripheral face of the roll. latch means in advance of the roll and engage able with the leading edge-of the work piece to interrupt advancement of the work into engagement with said roll, a scraper having a lengthless than the length of the roll and positioned to engage the periphery of the roll between the substance applying means and work, means supporting the scraper for sliding movement in opposite for reciprocating the scraper to impart a predetermined contour to themarginal edge of the coating substance adjacent one end of the roll, and means operating in timed relation to the rotation of the cam for actuating said latch means.

11. Surface coating apparatus comprising a roll, means for rotating the roll about its axis,

means for applying a liquid coating substance to the peripheral surface of the roll, means for removing the coating substance from a limited area of said surface including a scraper having a length less than the length of the roll and movable in opposite directions lengthwise of the roll and frictionally engageable with the roll face, means for reciprocating the scraper, and drainage means for the scraper for rapidly dispensing the liquid removed thereby.

12. Surface coating apparatus comprising arotatable roll, means for applying a liquid coating substance to the peripheral face of the roll, means for removing the coating substance from a limited area of the peripheral face of said roll including a blade movable in opposite directions lengthwise of the roll, said blade having a working edge shorter in length than the length of the roll and frictionally engageable with the roll face, means for reciprocating the blade lengthwise of the roll, and a drain opening in the blade adjacent said edge for rapidly disposing the liquid removed thereby.

13. Surface coating apparatus comprising a ro11,means for rotating the roll, means for applying a liquid coating substance to the peripheral surface of the roll, and means for removing the coating substance from a limited area of said surface including a scraper movable in opposite directions lengthwise of the roll, said scraper having a flange at the working edge extending in a direction away from the direction of rotation of the roll surface and being shorter in length than the length of the roll and frictionally engageable with the roll face, means for reciprocating the scraper lengthwise of the roll, and a drain opening in the scraper providing for rapid disposal of the liquid removed thereby.

14. Surface coating apparatus comprising a rotatable roll, means for applying a liquid coating substance to the peripheral face of the roll, means for removing the coating substance from 2. limited area of the peripheral face of said roll including a blade movable in opposite directions lengthwise of the roll and having an upwardly flared flange at the working edge of less length than the length of the roll, means supporting the blade with the working edge of the flange in frictional contact with the peripheral face of the roll below a horizontal plane passing through the roll axis, means for reciprocating the blade in the direction of length of the roll axis, and drainage means associated with the blade providing for quick disposal of the liquid substance removed by the blade.

15. Surface coating apparatus comprising a rotatable roll, means for applying a liquid coating substance to the peripheral face of the roll, means for removing the coating susbtance from a limited area of the peripheral face of said roll including a blade movable in opposite directions lengthwise of the roll, said blade having a, working edge of a length less than the length of the roll and frictionally engageable with the roll face, means adjacent said edge for rapidly draining the liquid removed by the blade, and means for sliding the blade back and forth along the roll.

16. Surface coating apparatus comprising a roll, means for rotating the roll, means for applying a surface coating substance on the peripheral face of the roll, means introducing a work piece 'to the roll with the surface to be coated in contact with the coated peripheral face of the roll, means for removing the coating substance from a limited area of the peripheral face of the roll prior to contact of the latter face with the work piece, said means including a blade movable in opposite directions lengthwise of the roll, said blade having a working edge of a length less than the length of the roll and frictionally engageable with the peripheral face of the roll, means for reciprocating the blade in the direction of length of the roll, and drainage means providing for rapid disposal of the substance removed by the blade.

17. Surface coating apparatus comprising a. 30 2 3 7 roll, means for rotating the roll, means for applying a surface coating susbtance on the peripheral face of the roll, means introducing a work piece to the roll with the surface to be coated in contact with the coated peripheral face of the roll. means for removing the coating substance from a limited area of the peripheral face of the roll prior to contact of the latter face with the work piece, said means including a blade movable in opposite directions lengthwise of the roll, said blade having a flange at the working edge thereofextending in a direction away from the direction of rotation of the roll and having a length less than the length of the roll, means supporting the blade with said flange in frictional contact with the peripheral face of said roll, a drain opening in the blade positioned to provide rapid disposal of the substance removed by the flange, and means for reciprocating the blade in the general direction of the roll axis.

HENRY W. MACKEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Date Number Name 676,237 Knowlton June 11, 1901 2,097,428 Bergstein Nov. 2, 1987 2,161,187 Mueller June 6, 1939 Shearer June 27, 1939 2,294,520 Staude Sept, 1, 1942 

